Foldable portable telephone

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a hinge mechanism for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that the hinge mechanism comprises cylindrical barrel portions provided respectively on the main body case and the closure case and arranged in alignment, and a hinge assembly in the form of a round rod and extending through the barrel portions centrally thereof, the hinge assembly comprising:

• a main body drive member in engagement with the barrel portion on the main body case and nonrotatable relative thereto,
• a closure drive member in engagement with the barrel portion on the closure case and nonrotatable relative thereto,
• a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
• a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
• a manual button exposed to outside from the barrel portions on the main body case and the closure case and to be manipulated to open the closure case, and
• a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged in alignment for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that one of the hinge mechanisms comprises a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case, a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case, a cam mechanism formed in engaging portions of the main body drive member and the closure drive member, an elastic member provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case, a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case, and a manipulating force transmitting member for transmitting the manipulating force on the manual button to the cam mechanism, the cam mechanism having a first cam curve portion and a second cam curve portion operable respectively in the first half and the second half of the process of rotation of the closure case from a closed position to an open position, the first cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in a direction to close the closure case with the force exerted by the elastic member, the second cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in the closure case opening direction with the force exerted by the elastic member, the cam mechanism being changeable from the first cam curve portion operating state to the second cam curve portion operating state by manipulating the manual button.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged alignment for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that each of the hinge mechanisms comprises:

• a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case and rotatable with the main body case,
• a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case and rotatable with the closure case,
• a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
• a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
• a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case, and
• a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged alignment for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that each of the hinge mechanisms comprises a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case, a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case, a cam mechanism formed in engaging portions of the main body drive member and the closure drive member, an elastic member provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case, a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case, and a manipulating force transmitting member for transmitting the manipulating force on the manual button to the cam mechanism, the cam mechanism having a first cam curve portion and a second cam curve portion operable respectively in the first half and the second half of the process of rotation of the closure case from a closed position to an open position, the first cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in a direction to close the closure case with the force exerted by the elastic member, the second cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in the closure case opening direction with the force exerted by the elastic member, the cam mechanism being changeable from the first cam curve portion operating state to the second cam curve portion operating state by manipulating the manual button.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a hinge mechanism for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that the hinge mechanism comprises:

• a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case and rotatable with the main body case,
• a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case and rotatable with the closure case,
• a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
• a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
• a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case,
• a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button, and
• a damper mechanism for applying a braking force to the rotation of the closure case in the second half of the process of opening the closure case.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged in alignment for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that at least one of the hinge mechanisms comprises cylindrical barrel portions provided respectively on the main body case and the closure case and arranged in alignment, and a hinge assembly in the form of a round rod and extending through the barrel portions centrally thereof, the hinge assembly comprising:

• a main body drive member in engagement with the barrel portion on the main body case and nonrotatable relative thereto,
• a closure drive member in engagement with the barrel portion on the closure case and nonrotatable relative thereto,
• a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
• a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
• a manual button exposed to outside from the barrel portions on the main body case and the closure case and to be manipulated to open the closure case,
• a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button, and
• a damper mechanism for applying a braking force to the rotation of the closure case in the second half of the process of opening the closure case.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a hinge mechanism for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that the hinge mechanism comprises:

• a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case and rotatable with the main body case,
• a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case and rotatable with the closure case,
• a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
• a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
• a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case,
• a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button, and
• an opening angle adjusting mechanism for holding the closure case at one or a plurality of opening angles in the process of closing the closure case from a full-open position.

A foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a hinge mechanism for covering the manual keys, the telephone being characterized in that the hinge mechanism comprises a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case, a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case, a cam mechanism formed in engaging portions of the main body drive member and the closure drive member, an elastic member provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case, a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case, and a manipulating force transmitting member for transmitting the manipulating force on the manual button to the cam mechanism, the cam mechanism having a first cam curve portion and a second cam curve portion operable respectively in the first half and the second half of the process of rotation of the closure case from a closed position to an open position and a third cam curve portion operable in the process of rotation of the closure case from the open position to the closed position, the first cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in a direction to close the closure case with the force exerted by the elastic member, the second cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in the closure case opening direction with the force exerted by the elastic member, the third cam curve portion being in the form of a cam curve capable of holding the closure case at one or a plurality of opening angles with the force exerted by the elastic member, the cam mechanism being changeable from the first cam curve portion operating state to the second cam curve portion operating state by manipulating the manual button.